ScinoPharm, a leading global supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), has commenced construction of a new plant on a 66670 square meter site. The facilities, located in Changshu, Jiangsu province in China, is expected to include a R&D centre and production plants fully compliant with US and international GMP standards.

ScinoPharm, a leading global supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), has commenced construction of a new plant on a 66670 square meter site. The facilities, located in Changshu, Jiangsu province in China, is expected to include a R&D centre and production plants fully compliant with US and international GMP standards.
The Changshu plant, slated to be fully operational by 2011, will be used for the production of GMP grade pharmaceutical intermediates initially, and later be equipped to handle API production. According to the company, China\'s market for better quality APIs has grown considerably, and local formulation companies are encouraged to utilize APIs from companies having DMFs filed in advanced countries.
\"The new site is part of ScinoPharm\'s long-term strategy to bolster its presence in China. Additional manufacturing and R&D facilities will complement our existing experience in selling quality APIs in regulated markets. The Changshu plant will serve as a launching pad for the rapidly expanding Chinese pharmaceutical market as well as a backup site to our customers,\" said Dr Jo Shen, President, ScinoPharm.
\"The Changshu facilities will help ScinoPharm\'s vertical integration with high quality intermediates, and will ensure final API products are of the highest quality and safety, yet at lower costs,\" added Dr. Hardy Chan, Executive Vice President and CSO of ScinoPharm.
ScinoPharm\'s investment in Changshu will also address the increasing number of multinational companies shifting their drug development research and clinical trials to China. This expansion is said to augment its current CMP manufacturing facility in Taiwan and allows the company to further support customer needs with a wide range of cost-competitive development and manufacturing solutions. ScinoPharm\'s current China operations include two research and development bases in Kunshan and Shanghai.